


Tears

by AutisticWriter



Category: The Fast Show
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Class Differences, Crying, Drinking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Related, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hugging, Mental Breakdown, One Shot, Pre-Canon, Servants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 09:00:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8572318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutisticWriter/pseuds/AutisticWriter
Summary: A little support can go a long way.Inspired by the sketch in series 2 episode 7, in which Rowley discusses how a woman he loved died when he was a young man. The sketch ends with him in tears.





	

Charles went into the living room of the manor house with a glass of sherry for Mr Birkin, and he was faced with an all too familiar sight. Mr Birkin was sat in his chair by the fireplace, staring blankly into the fire as tears dribbled down his cheeks. Charles sighed.

Although he would never admit it, Mr Birkin cried a lot. Charles never mentioned it when he saw his master crying, and Mr Birkin never did either. Still, Charles rather wished Mr Birkin would just talk about what was upsetting him.

Bracing himself, Charles picked up the tray and went and stood in front of Mr Birkin. “Sir?”

Mr Birkin jumped when he saw him, and hurriedly wiped his eyes. “What do you want?”

“Your sherry, sir,” Charles said, holding out the tray.

Mr Birkin took the glass without speaking and drained the sherry in one. Then he slammed the glass down on the tray and said, “Bring the bottle.”

“Yes, sir,” Charles said, and he left the room.

\---

Charles always awoke in the night. Every single night, he would have to get up to relieve himself before he could settle again. But it wasn’t every night that he found his master awake too.

That night, on his way back from the lavatory, Charles heard a loud thud from somewhere upstairs. It was probably nothing, but he felt like he needed to check on Mr Birkin, just in case he had hurt himself. So he crept up the stairs into the main house, barely able to see anything in the near darkness, and followed in the direction he thought the noise came from.

When he ended up on the floor where Mr Birkin’s bedroom was, Charles was able to hear something. It sounded like sobbing. He sighed. Mr Birkin was crying again.

He poked his head into the room. Charles could clearly see Mr Birkin hunched up on the floor, his chin resting on his knees, sobbing softly. He knew what he was meant to do – leave Mr Birkin to cry on his own – but he didn’t want to. Not this time.

So, with some degree of apprehension, Charles took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

“Sir?”

Mr Birkin looked up sharply, but he didn’t look angry. In fact, he looked sort of relieved. Knowing that he wasn’t going to get angry, Charles approached him.

“Sir?”

Charles kneeled down next to Mr Birkin. Now he was closer, he could more clearly hear his shuddering breaths, and the pure pain in his sobs. Mr Birkin’s dark brown hair (which was streaked with grey and white at his temples) was stuck flat to his head with sweat. Charles wondered if he’d had a nightmare and fallen out of bed. That would certainly explain why he was on the floor.

“She’s dead!” Mr Birkin sobbed, tears pouring down his face, his agonised cries loud and jagged. “I... I couldn’t save her!” His next words were incoherent, but, from the tone of his voice and the way he was shaking, it was pretty obvious what he was saying.

Charles was in no doubt that his master was having a complete nervous breakdown. Mr Birkin looked up at him, his eyes red and shiny, his bottom lip wobbling, and suddenly pulled him into a tight hug. Charles tensed up as Mr Birkin wrapped his arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder, not sure what was going on, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he patted Mr Birkin’s back and just held him, hoping his support would help, and wishing he had done this years ago.


End file.
